BANK HOLIDAY BOOST!
Businesses prepare for bumper day as lockdown eases
Businesses across Wearside are hoping for a bumper Bank Holiday weekend – despite the forecast for a mixed bag of weather.
For the city’ s licensed premises, this will be the first public holiday they will have been able to open for outdoor drinks and dining.
Adapting to the current restrictions means many will be showcasing new and improved outdoor areas.
Among them is The Looking Glass in Sunniside which has unveiled a new Courtyard area, which holds 80 people with social distancing, adding to its existing patio at the front of the venue which holds 28.
Since reopening on April 12, the venue, which is open Thursdays to Sundays, has welcomed 600 people through the doors with weekends fully booked.
Harry Collinson, who owns the business with wife Nicola, said: “The response has been incredible, people are so glad to be back out socialising.
"It’ s been very humbling for our team to be welcomed back in the way we have.”
Ni cola added :“Creating the Courtyard makes us like a new venue. People have been visitingand loved it so much they’ ve booked to come again straight away.”
From the week beginning May 17, the indoor restaurant and function room will be re openingand in June the site will be able to hold 400 people, providing the Government’ s roadmap goes to plan.
Harry said: “We’ve always aimed to be a multi-purpose, destination venue and The Courtyard has really added to that. We feel like we’re the city centre’s best-kept secret.”
The Wolsey in Roker has also
improved its outdoor space with a canopy, gazebo and undercover shed seating in its beer garden.
It’s been a difficult 18 months for the local pub after a fire in late 2019, followed by the pandemic.
But reopening their outdoor space has allowed the business to start getting back on its feet and they too are fully booked for the Bank Holiday weekend.
Kate Klein from TheWolsey said: “We’ve been fully booked every day and everyone has been spot on. They really appreciate being back out and will even sit in the hailstones.
"All our regulars have come back and it’s like we’ve never been away.”
For some businesses with a takeout offering they’ve been able to trade as normal for the past few months. Sue’s Cafe has been a seafront staple for 17 years and after closing for 11 weeks during the first Lock down has been back open since May last year where its pink slices, sausage sandwiches, coffees and more have provided people with some muchneeded comfort during the pandemic.
Owner Sue Parkin, who invests much in the local community, whether it’s paying for plants at the seafront or sponsoring nearby schools, says she’s noticed a surge in support.
“The support from the local people has been absolutely fantastic,” she said. “As soon as they were allowed our regulars came back and we’ve also seen new customers. I think a lot of people didn’t realise what they had on their doorstep, the lovely seafront that we have .”
She added: “Bank Holidays are always weather dependent, but I think with people not going abroad they’re starting to appreciateRoke rand Sea burn more and the businesses that are here.”